Whisper of the Heart
by BadWolfKaily
Summary: Root's heart was damaged, she was dying, but maybe she would live. She had hoped Shaw would be there with her. But she was off with Tomas and Root was stuck with Bear on a journey for a heart.
1. Chapter 1

Whisper of the Heart

" _If you gave someone your heart and they died, did they take it with them? Did you spend the rest of forever with a hole inside you that couldn't be filled?"_

― _Jodi Picoult_ _,_ _Nineteen Minutes_

It was freezing cold when Root woke up that Friday morning. Noticing Shaw's absence, she whimpered and rolled on her side, pulling Shaw's pillow to her chest.

Sameen.

It wasn't like Shaw to disappear on her, at least not now. Not after the "War of Gods", as she had so delightedly called it. There were some casualties of war. Shaw was broken and Root was dying...well at least until she could find a suitable donor.

And that donor just pulled up in Root's ear via the Machine.

"You contacted the donor? A healthy heart, I feel like you're spoiling me….No, she doesn't need to know yet. Speaking of, where did she go?" Root sat up a little too quickly at the Machine's response causing her to feel lightheaded. "Tomas? Why the hell is she with him?"

Growling, Root ignored the nausea that had suddenly settled in her empty stomach and reached for her phone, dialing Shaw. It didn't normally take her so long to answer her phone. Finally Shaw's voice chimed in, "Yeah?"

Trying to sound as unaffected by the situation as possible, Root let out a sigh of relief. "Shaw, why are you with Tomas?"

"He needed my help with something."

"With something? What kind of something?"

"Relax it's just a simple diamond heist. I'm bored, Root, I need to feel like myself again. I just need to do this, okay?"

Relaxing a bit and biting back bile, Root took a nervous gasp of air. "I, uh, I've got a number in upstate New York. It's a personal number so I thought you could come?

"I'll catch up with you later. You can handle it right, Root?"

Root looked down as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. She could hear someone laugh in the background and say something to Shaw. "I'm...dying, Sameen."

"Huh, what was that?"

"Nothing, never mind, I can handle it. I'll have Her forward the information, in case you have the time."

"Okay, yeah, yeah, see you later."

Root sighed as she heard the click and put her phone down. "It's okay, I can handle it alone," she grumbled to the Machine, "Just let her do what she wants and make sure you forward the information to her, please."

Root sighed one last time before proceeding to get ready for her journey. She just had one stop to make before she was ready for the long drive.

Root made her way into the subway, eager to pick up a few supplies before heading out. Finch looked up from his seat and let out a sigh of relief, "Ms. Groves, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Hey, Harry, just picking up some supplies, I got a-"

"We know Ms. Groves."

Falling silent, Root's smile faltered, "Nothing to worry about, Harry."

"You're taking Ms. Shaw with you at least?"

"She's busy with _Tomas_ ," Root said his name with such disdain, "She'll be around when she feels like it."

"Are you sure you don't Mr. Reese or I to go with you?"

"That's alright, but I'll take Bear if you don't mind?"

Bear perked up at the sound of his name and whined, as he looked between Harold and Root.

"I suppose. Are you going to be in any condition to handle him? I mean, after your procedure?"

"We'll be fine, Harry. It's just a heart transplant. Now you guys can't say I'm heartless," Root giggled as she swung a bag of guns and ammo over her shoulder.

"I don't recall heart transplants needing guns, Ms. Groves."

"Just a precaution, Harry. You never know in this day and age. -girl could get mugged," Root smiled and patted her leg, "Komm, Bear."

Bear eagerly trotted up to her, wagging his tail. He sat as she snapped his leash to his collar.

"I really wish you'd have John or I go with you," Finch searched her face and saw a flicker of hesitance.

Resolving herself, Root tugged on Bear's leash, "I appreciate the offer but if I can't handle this, I can't handle our future enemies. If I can't do this then I can't protect you guys, if the need should ever arise."

"Root, you single handedly helped bring Samaritan down, don't sell yourself short. Besides, you don't have to handle this all on your own. This isn't your burden."

Root smiled weakly, "I really should be going The fatigue is getting worse, Harry, and I have a long drive."

"I'll make sure to send Ms. Shaw along after."

Tightening the hold on her bag and looking back at him, she adds, "Thank you, Harry."

Ready to face her journey not entirely alone she and Bear walked out into the autumn day. Pausing she smiled down at him.

 _Bear's presence should make this a little less nerving…..please hurry Sameen. I can't do this without you._


	2. Chapter 2

_"We accept the love we think we deserve."_

 _― Stephen Chbosky , The Perks of Being a Wallflower_

Shaw had to admit, her little heist with Tomas was exactly what she needed to get her spirits up. To shake off the remnants of her time spent with Samaritan, to feel like herself again. Of course, it meant denying Tomas yet another offer for her to join him in Venice, but surprisingly this time the get-away card didn't intrigue her as much. She thanked him for the fun, told him to give her another call if he had another one of these little heists in the future, and went on her way.

 _Not that I'm complaining but Tomas doesn't seem as hot as he used to be. Weird._

As much fun as Shaw had she was really needing some not so much human interaction at the moment. Maybe take Bear for a walk or play fetch with him while she drinks a cold beer.

Walking into their subway station, Shaw hadn't initially questioned the absence of Bear. In fact, it's not until she spends a few extended moments watching Finch typing away on his computer and Reese idly munching on a sandwich (which she was pretty sure was one of hers that she had left in the fridge earlier) that she noticed the dog's absence .

Exasperated, Shaw huffs before sticking her hands in her pockets and glaring daggers at the two of them, "Did you two lose Bear somewhere?"

Reese tried to mumble a reply through his sandwich, but almost choked. Finch looked up, pushing his glasses back up his nose, and sighed, "Miss Groves asked to borrow him for her trip out of town. I offered John or myself to go, but she only would accept Bear as her road trip companion. Speaking of which, you should hurry to meet her at her destination, Ms. Shaw."

"Come on Harold, I just got back, let me eat something first. She can handle things until I get there."

"I beg to differ. I assume then that the Machine has yet to inform you, if you are still unaware of Ms. Groves' situation?"

Snatching the other half of her sandwich from John's grasp, she just glared at him, "Well, I haven't exactly had my attention on my phone lately, Harold. I just got done with a heist. Besides I just thought Root had some sort of personal thing going on, right?"

"That's correct. You remember when Samantha was captured by Control and tortured, correct?"

Stuffing the sandwich into her mouth, Shaw mumbled, "Yeah, so?"

Almost irritated Finch continued, "Control utilized what's referred to as the "Twilight Zone" method. The sheer amount of barbiturates and amphetamines that she was injected with almost killed her, and while luckily she survived, the rapid alternation between the two drugs had dire consequences on her heart. The Machine has sent her to collect a new heart, Ms. Shaw. She'll be having a surgery while she's away."

Swallowing the remnants of her sandwich Shaw just stared at the table in front of her trying to digest what Finch had said to her more than she was trying to digest that sandwich she just consumed. Fisting her hands on her lap Shaw tensed at the thought that she had missed all the signs and let Root go alone.

"Originally , she had wanted you to go but she didn't want to burden you with it. She felt you needed your time out with Tomas . She wanted you to be happy and if your going out on this little heist would heal you in anyway that was good enough for her."

Taking a breath he stared at the wide-eyed Persian now ignoring the rest of her sandwich, "All she asked of me was that as soon as you returned to send you in her direction."

Shaw stood, slamming her hands on the table next to her, "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Reese shook his head, "You know, Shaw, you're not the only one that was broken by Samaritan after you left us. I saw how dark Root got, I don't blame her. After Carter died, I wanted to kill every person that took her away. Heck, I wanted to help kill every Samaritan agent that we came across. But Root, she wouldn't give up. She pushed herself, despite how sick it was making her. Then, when we had to fight to save the Machine, I remember how broken and lost she looked. She told me that if she couldn't save the Machine there was no possible way she could save you. So she kept fighting, and it nearly killed her then. Now, now she's the one dying. So I suggest you get off your ass and go be with her so that she doesn't have to go through it alone. Go so she doesn't die of a broken heart ."

Shaw didn't know when John had become such a poet, such a romantic. She internally scoffed at the idea of romance. But knew that what John was saying was as annoying as it sounded, all of it was right. And it made her insides hurt. She bit her lip and to keep herself from yelling, yelling at herself, at John and Harold, at the universe for making her care so damn much.

"John is right, I'll send her destinations coordinates to your phone. She may have Bear's company for now but it's no medicine compared to yours. Now that the two of you both have a second chance at life I warn you not to have any regrets. There is no doubt that she loves you," Harold chancing a look out of the corner of his eye at the flinch he see's come from Shaw's once stoic form, "You may say you don't have feelings, but we know that you feel the same for her. Do not let her do this alone. You will surely regret it if she dies and you're not there by her side, if anything happens," Finch finishes, and quickly turns back to his computer screen, making it clear he will not be discussing it further with her .

John almost seemed stand -offish as he dug his hands into his pockets and tried to find the words Shaw knew he was trying to choose carefully.

"A lot has happened since you were gone, Shaw. And Root … she's one of us now. We've been through a lot and I guess you can say that brought us all closer. You can't save the world and an AI without some sort of bonding. And torturing some people along the way kind of helps in that area too. Just, go get your girl Shaw before I kick your ass."

Taking a defensive stance Shaw dug her nails into her palms so hard she could draw blood if she wanted, "First off, who said anything about me loving Root? I don't do love, I don't do feelings. I just indulge her clinginess because she buys me food and brings on the numbers. But since you've gotten so sentimental on me while I've been gone I guess I'll have to go, right? Because if things go wrong I doubt you two can handle this better then I can."

So Shaw grabbed her favorite gun and her favorite jacket and snagged the last of her sandwich off the table as she headed back towards the exit. She smirked as she heard her phone beep with the coordinates, she tossed over her shoulder, "And John, you'd be the one getting your ass kicked ."

Starting up her motorcycle Shaw mentally kicked herself for being such an oblivious jackass. She was a doctor- she should've known. Maybe she had subconsciously noticed it but, for whatever reason, it hadn't registered that Root might actually be sick. Yes, she'd noticed how pale Root was and how exhausted she seemed all the time, but she'd thought the medication Root was taking was to help with just that- to help her sleep. Maybe if she had bothered to look at the bottles she would've known, but Root hadn't said anything. And she wasn't about to get into Root's business even though part of her was nagging her to investigate. Shaw was trying to balance her old self with her new self. She wasn't used to caring and she wasn't about to admit to herself and to Finch or John that she cared. If she did then that would make it real and she'd have to deal with it and right now she wasn't ready to deal with it.

 _You idiot, Root. Why didn't you tell me? Was it because you thought I was so broken, so weak that you didn't want to burden me with your dying? It's my fault you were captured by Control and tortured . I didn't think about the consequences of my saving you all. I didn't know how much my dying would affect you…. I guess about as much as yours would send me out to kill every person that hurt you._

Checking her phones coordinates she sped off.

 _Keep her safe, Bear. I'm on my way, Root._


	3. Chapter 3

"by newton's third law:

every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

which seems to imply;

that if i love you, and i do,

some part of you might love me too."

—

and that hope for equilibrium could be the thing that breaks me / kc

Root found herself waking up short of breath, her hand quickly grabbing at her chest. Pain shooting through her, she fumbled for the bottle of pills on the side table. Quickly downing one, she curled in on herself hoping that it would pass soon. Bear, whimpering at her side, is only able to rest his head on her hands that were clenching the blanket in front of her. Root knew that if she had kept driving she could've made the trip in one go, but she was so tired she had to rest for the night.

"Let me just rest here, just for a moment longer," Root whispered to the voice in her ear.

That additional moment turned into her falling asleep and waking up two hours later. She still felt weak, but the pain was gone and Bear was still by her side.

"Yes, I know, we'll be leaving shortly," Root sighed and pet Bear's fur causing him to stretch his legs out, hitting her in the process.

"Geez, you're just like your mom," Root giggled at the thought of Shaw and Bear having the same mannerisms.

Dragging herself from the bed, she readied herself for the last stretch of their drive. Popping a pill and calling to Bear, she slung her bag over her shoulder and opened the motel door. It may be winter, but the brightness of the day stung at Root's eyes. Everything seemed brighter and louder and so much more exhausting. She knew that she needed to get this done as soon as possible. Opening the driver's side door to her car, she let Bear jump in and sit in the passenger seat. Throwing her pack into the backseat, she took a moment to look around.

 _No Shaw. She should be here by now, even if she didn't know exactly what was going on._

Sighing, Root got into the car and headed out for the last stretch of her drive. She was curious about meeting the person who wanted to donate their heart to her. The thought of someone else's heart beating inside of her was kind of poetic. Would her new heart still be able to love the Machine, to love Shaw? Would _she_ be the same with a new heart? Could she finally be able to live?

Shaw drove all night, only now when the morning was just starting to warm up, was she stopping to get gas and a cup of coffee, a donut or two thrown in for good measure.

She mumbles to herself around the donut in her mouth. "I'm going to beat your ass so hard, Root. Freaking idiot, not telling me about something this important. And you," Shaw pointed to the CC camera peering down at her, "You should have told me sooner."

Shaking her head Shaw shoved the last of her donut in her mouth, finished her last sip of coffee before throwing it away, and put the gas nozzle back in place. Strapping her helmet back on she hopped on her bike, started it up, and sighed as she shook her head at the camera.

 _Root, damn you for keeping this from me. Did you not think I wouldn't care? That my time with Tomas was more important? That I wasn't ready to deal with something like this?_

Shaw just growled and drove at top speed for Root. Adrenaline coursing through her body and as much as she hated to admit a great need to be by Root's side. She knew sooner or later she was going to have to come to terms with how much Root had tattooed herself on life. It wasn't so much that Root had made her weaker but together they were a team and so much stronger. Shaw hated to admit that someone had made that much of an impact on her life. She wasn't sure how, but Root's persistence and never ending presence imprinted on Shaw's life. They were a team and there was no Root without Shaw and vice versa. They were their own person but they made each other better. And Root hadn't given up on her, just smiled and was there when and if Shaw needed her. Now it was her turn to be there for Root.


	4. Chapter 4

" _If you are going through hell, keep going."_

― _Winston S. Churchill_

Root pulled up to a remote cabin in the woods. Parking the car she didn't even bother putting on Bear's leash before letting him do his business. She knew he'd stay close, so she made her way up to the cabin's door. Knocking, she wasn't sure what she was expecting., The Machine hadn't told her much about this person- this person willing to give up their heart for her. When the door finally opened, she was met by a large man who looked at her with such scrutiny it made Root wince. Bear came up to her side and looked up at her and then into the open door and tilted his head.

"Come," came the voice of the man in front of her, letting her and Bear into the cabin and taking an almost paranoid look around outside.

"I love when you do this," Root smiled to herself as she spoke to the Machine, "I'm here about a heart?" Root put on her all-business face as Bear sat at her side.

The man nodded and motioned for her to follow him to an adjacent room, "It won't be long before we're discovered, the young miss' father won't be too happy about this. But it's her life, her choice, and she insisted that all her organs be donated after her death."

"After? You mean…." Root was cut off by a younger female voice.

"Yes, I am still alive," a blonde twenty something stood staring out the window of her room.

Root looked at the girl with wide eyes not expecting her donor to be so young or even still be living. The Machine hadn't mentioned much about the situation. The man nodded at Root and left the room.

"Why? Why would someone so young, so healthy, give up their heart? Why would you give up your life?" Root took a step forward, tears pricking at her eyes.

A sad smile graced the girl's face as she pressed a hand against the cold glass of the window, "Let's just say, some people die of broken hearts. And I am already dead. But maybe my organs, my heart can keep somebody else alive."

"But…..your life is not worth mine. I can't."

"Please, if you don't take it I will find another. I died the day my father killed my lover and like Tony said it's only a matter of time before my father's men find me. I won't be his prisoner anymore, I don't want to live in a life where she's not here." The girl turned to look at Root with tears in her eyes and walked up to her revealing her wrists each with still healing scars. "At least this way, this time, my death can save someone, she would've wanted that."

Root didn't like the idea of taking a heart from a healthy yet broken-hearted girl who could still live her life. The Machine chirped away in her ear and Root relented and blinked away her tears unable to meet the girl's eyes as she grit out a, "Fine."

The sad smile on the blonde haired girl's face,reminded Root of a younger version of herself, who felt too much and was so innocent. Raising her palm half way to Root she hesitated before she gently laid her hand over Root's heart. The warmth of her hand seemed through and made Root flinch, her heart speeding up. Bear whined at her side in the quiet before the girl continued. "I sense a sadness in your heart too."

Root gulped as the girl pulled her hand away. "A friend of yours contacted me. I'm not sure how, it was like a message from God, but in the end I don't care how or you are and here I am. Don't be sad for me, I want this., You can live your life and I lay myself down and rest with her."

"What was her name?"

As if it physically pained her to say it the blonde haired her drew in a shaky breath of air, "Thea…..," clearing her throat the girl turned back towards the window, "And my name is Belle by the way."

"Belle, hmm, that means beautiful. I can only hope to do you justice with a beautiful heart."

Smirking, "Complimenting a dead girl? If only I had met you sooner."

A soft knock interrupted them, "The doctor is here miss, if you really want to get on with this we have to do it now."

"Thank you, Tony, I'm ready." Nodding at her reflection in the window, Tony left to fetch the doctor. "I hope my broken heart can mend within you, I hope it can give you a second chance. I sense a strength about you that leaves me relieved. I hope that all the other pieces of me can become strong through someone else."

The doctor came in and for the last time Belle turned and as her eyes met Roots she saw emotions she knew all too well. The longing for release and the eagerness to see her lover once more, "Thank you, Belle. I hope you find your peace."

Bear followed Root out of the room, as the doctor shut the door behind her, and she saw the older man from before nursing a cup of tea at the kitchen table."I don't agree with it anymore then you do, but there was no talking her out of it. I've known her since she was just a little girl. Her father will surely kill me for this but I've got nothing left to lose."

Root made for the door but paused as Tony's voice cracked with emotion, "Thea was my daughter and she and Belle made each other happy. As long as they were happy...that's all that mattered to me. But her father is a powerful man and he didn't approve. The bastard- he killed both our daughters."

Root felt a weakness overtake her and she rushed outside gasping for air, Bear, still at her side, one hand clutched at her chest as the other struggled to fish out the pills from her jacket. She managed to shake a pill into her trembling hands and swallowed it dry. Steadying some, she gently lowered herself to the cabins step. Bear whinned and came to sit next to her., She rested her head against Bear's shoulder, "Thank you, Bear, danke."

Root must've drifted off because next thing she knew her shoulder was being shook and a saddened Tony was standing over her. "Miss, it's done."

Standing, Root brushed off her pants. The doctor handed her a cooler containing the heart, before he moved on to load the other coolers into his vehicle and drove off. Looking back to Tony she asked, "She didn't, she'd didn't feel any pain?"

"No, she had a smile on her face till the end. But you best get out of here before her father's men show up."

 _Armed Men Incoming, Asset Shaw Twenty Minutes Out_

Root smiled sadly to herself and then back at Tony. "Thank you, Tony. I think we should both be on our way, my friend just told me we'll be getting some company. Perhaps if I hadn't fallen asleep I could've been warned sooner."

"Don't you worry about me, Miss, you just take good care of that heart. It loved with all it's might."

"I will. Komen Bear!"

Root held tight to the cooler as she grabbed for her gun, trying to hurry to her car with Bear at her heels. Cars drove up blocking the direction Root needed to go, dropping behind her car she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and brought it to Bear's nose, "Bear, finden Shaw. Gehen!"

Bear shot off through the cars and men leaving Root behind, placing the cooler down safely by her feet she grabbed for the other gun in her pocket and had them at the ready, "Sorry boys the party just ended, everyone's going home."

A shot rang out and Root fired back trying her best to shield herself behind the car as Tony came out with a rifle, "You better run, Miss."

Hesitating Root grabbed for the cooler and fired off a few shots as she ran into the woods, she just hoped that Bear found Shaw quickly. Gunfire rang out behind her she clutched the cooler to her chest checking behind her to see if she was being followed. Sure enough, a bullet whizzed past her as she spots just one man- the others must have taken care of Tony. They're probably finding Belle's body right now, she realizes, guilt spreading through her., One way or another Root would make sure that Belle was laid to rest with Thea,but there was no doing that if she didn't make it out of this alive. So she ran as the Machine warned her that the further away she got the less she was going to be able to see and be unable to help her.

Root really didn't want to get herself lost in the woods, in winter, nearing sunset. She was more of a Hilton type of girl, not a camping type. She did pretend to be a Girl Scout leader for a minute once, but all she got from that was fifty boxes of girl scout cookies for Shaw.

All this exertion on her body was really wearing her down. It might do her in before she can even have this heart transplanted. Root growled and threw herself behind a tree and fired back taking the guy down. She didn't bother to stick around to see if more men were on their way, she just turned and ran in what she hoped was the direction of the highway. Root ran until she got so exhausted she had to rest up against a tree. Breathing hard, it felt like there was a weight on her chest. Beads of sweat laced her forehead she rested up against a tree, silence from the Machine ringing in her ears.

Meanwhile, Shaw is speeding on a road that makes it seem like no one in the world even knows this place exists. Except for that one car that drove past like five minutes ago with an old man in it. But then Shaw squints at a dog, she thinks, running in her direction. She slows her motorcycle a bit to get a better glimpse as the dog zooms past her only to catch her scent and turn to run after her. Shaw pulls to the side of the road, Bear jumping at her barking.

"Bear? Bear! Where's Root? Wo ist der Root?" she doesn't question if Bear understands her or not she knows he'll take her to Root.

Sighing to herself at how exhausting this whole trip is getting Shaw just wonders what could Root possibly have gotten herself into now.

 _Analog Interface In Distress, One Mile Out In Woods, Turn Into Woods In Half Mile_

So Shaw drives, Bear running behind her, until she gets to the turning point the Machine designated. Parking her motorcycle behind some bushes she grabs for her bag and follows Bear into the woods.

"Oh, great, let's just waltz into the woods in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of winter, with the sun setting. Root, what kind of wild goose chase do you have me on? You better be alive you idiot."

Bear just whines as he glances up at Shaw, "Don't worry boy, we'll find her," Shaw scratches his head and picks up the speed as they get further into the woods.


	5. Chapter 5

" _One piece at a time. That's how people slip away." - Wynonna Earp_

Root must've dozed off, she's freezing cold, the cooler still grasped to her chest. Her knuckles are so white that you'd have to pry her hands away to get that cooler from her. She's drenched in a cold sweat, her vision's blurry and there's a hand slapping her awake. Bear is whimpering at her side, his head resting on her lap. This makes her wonder how long Shaw has been trying to wake her up. thankfully the men have stopped searching for her but she knows it's not the end of them, the girl's father will want revenge, anything to make the loss of his daughter a little less painful… even though it was her who had wished for her death to come.

"Root, come on, we have to get you out of here. We need to get you to a hospital. The sun is setting and whoever you pissed off might come back soon."

Root tries to muster all the strength she has to stand causing Bear to jump back and worriedly watch her. Breathing heavily Root rests her head against the tree and tries to find the strength in her legs to move. And when she does she's immediately collapsing into Shaw's arms.

"Root, come on, I can't do all the work."

Taking a shaky breath Root smirks, she wants to make a witty remark but she's just too tired, the cooler slips from her grasp and Shaw has to pick it up and throw the weakened hacker over her shoulder. Bear follows close behind, an ever watchful eye on their surroundings, at the ready to alert Shaw when needed. It's not for a good five minutes till Shaw remembers she only has the motorcycle. She could either somehow manage to strap Bear to the seat behind her and hold Root in front of her while she drives or she could risk everything and go back in the direction Root had come from and find her car. But it'd be at the risk of running back into whoever Root had run from. She needs to decide fast though because the sun is setting and it's fucking cold outside.

Shaw looks in the direction of her motorcycle and back to the direction Root must have come from, growling Shaw turns and calls to Bear to follow. The footprints back. The moment the cabin comes into view Shaw slowly leans the now unconscious Root up against a near tree, placing the cooler next to her. Pulling her gun from her jacket, Shaw cocks the gun and whispers to Bear to stay with Root, he gently lays himself on her lap to keep her warm and he lets out a worried whimper.

Stealthily making her way towards the cabin Shaw holds her gun at the ready, peering out from behind a tree she sees a few men on the lookout and a gurney being carried out of the cabin and put into the back of a black Escalade. A man with a tear stained face comes out with an older man, Tony, his hands tied behind his back. Shaw thinks she should do something, maybe start shooting, but if they haven't noticed her presence by then, maybe the right thing would be to not provoke anything especially when it comes to the mafia. She can't risk Root in this condition.

So when the older man is motioned to get on his knees Shaw clenches her teeth and hides behind the tree. Anger makes her gun shake in her hands as she hears two gunshots go off. She doesn't need to look to know that the old man was just shot. It's not till Shaw hears a few car doors close and drive off that she realizes that they must've left. Well, the big shots at least since two men are left behind to clean up; now's Shaw's chance to strike before they head off with the only car around.

Stepping out from behind the tree Shaw notices they've pulled the old man's body into the house and have begun to throw gasoline all over the porch.

"Hey boys, fancy meeting you here."

The guys try to reach for their guns but Shaw has bullets in them before they can even get their fingers on the trigger. She scoffs at how easy it was to take them down, it wasn't even a fight. Doing a double take to make sure she didn't miss anyone else she runs back to Root.

"Root, Root, wake up! Come on, we're going."

Smacking Root lightly across the face to wake her, the hacker groans and coughs grabbing at her chest.

"Sameen?"

"Come on, on your feet."

Wrapping an arm around the weak brunette she leans down for the cooler making a motion for Bear to follow. Slowly but surely Shaw gets Root to the car, placing the cooler on the top of the car she opens the back door and places Root in the back seat. Grabbing the cooler, Shaw places it on the floor behind her seat. Shutting the door she motions for Bear to get in the front seat. Before leaving she grabs the car keys from the totally useless henchmen, dragging them into the cabin.

Shaw gives a pitiful to the old man they dragged in there earlier and thanks him with a tiny salute because she knows he must have helped Root somehow. Grabbing the pack of dropped matches Shaw lights one and throws it on the gasoline, rapidly igniting the house. Running back to the car Shaw gets in and starts it up, giving one last look to the burning house Shaw drives off. An old text message on her phone sent by the Machine has directions for her to go to a heart surgeon back in the city.

She's not sure how much time Root has but she needs to get her and this heart to a doctor stat. Bear licks his lips and whimpers at Shaw.

Reaching a hand over to scratch his ear in reassurance.

"It's okay boy, Root's going to be okay, promise."

Looking in the rearview mirror Shaw sees a very pale unconscious Root her head limply moving with the motion of the car. Driving past her motorcycle Shaw scowls at the bummer of having to leave it there.

 _I'm just going to have to have Root pay me back for this one._

They may have gotten away fairly easily but making sure Root has this surgery safely is going to be a task. If her medical knowledge is correct she has less than six hours to get this heart in Root. And she's going to make sure that happens at any cost.


End file.
